Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Thank you very much, Mr. Hurley, for your opening comments and just with regard to the latter part of your opening statement this morning relating to the guarantee, that matter will be dealt with later on this afternoon when the focus of that session will be on the years 2008, 2009 - the critical years in the build-up and immediate response to the crisis. Before I bring in this morning's lead questioners, Mr. Hurley, maybe if I can just deal with one or two matters quickly with you and maybe that is just to get a brief explanation from you as to how you saw your role as Governor of the Central Bank and, in that regard, did you see your role as being independent from the Department of Finance and from the banks themselves?